NASA's Mars Sample Return Plan

NASA is proposing a cheaper and quicker way to retrieve rocks and soil samples from Mars after the original plan swelled to $11 billion. The new scenario aims to return 30 titanium tubes as soon as possible at a cost of $6 to $7 billion, considering innovative designs by commercial partners. The samples collected by the Perseverance rover are crucial for the search for signs of ancient Martian life.

NASA's Recent Discoveries

NASA has made significant discoveries including the Bennu asteroid sample and a dust devil on Mars captured by the Perseverance rover. They announced the discovery of a potentially habitable "super Earth" named TOI-715b located 137 light-years away.